In the wrong hands, it could be saddening. But, at the same time . . . the technology could be used to make a replica of some of the fragile pottery in museums so students and professionals could hold, examine, and touch the copies . . . without the risk of damaging the original. There is good and bad potential to all technology. Where technology goes will depend on us.

In the wrong hands, it could be saddening. But, at the same time . . . the technology could be used to make a replica of some of the fragile pottery in museums so students and professionals could hold, examine, and touch the copies . . . without the risk of damaging the original. There is good and bad potential to all technology. Where technology goes will depend on us.

To touch a replica not made by touch seems like an oxymoron.Clay is such a tactile media, the fingerprints seem essential.

In the wrong hands, it could be saddening. But, at the same time . . . the technology could be used to make a replica of some of the fragile pottery in museums so students and professionals could hold, examine, and touch the copies . . . without the risk of damaging the original. There is good and bad potential to all technology. Where technology goes will depend on us.

To touch a replica not made by touch seems like an oxymoron.Clay is such a tactile media, the fingerprints seem essential.

Marcia

Yeah . . . I think you're right. Can't replicate the touch of the person who made the original.

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

At my main "home base" for when I am working in Japan... at one of the largest (if not currently THE largest) yakishime wood firing operations in Japan...... sitting about 50 feet from one of the multiple large wood kilns there is the "IT department" building.

In this building is a computer system running Rinocerous 3-D modeling CAD/CAM software, a CNC machine for making mold making master models, and also the 3-D scanning equipment to make 3-D models directly from scanned objects. This capability was already there way back in 2002.

The potters there utilize every possible forming technique you can think of from slip casting, to pressure slip casting, to hydraulic pressing, to jiggering and jollying, to press molding, to pinching, to slab building, to throwing.

All is finish fired unglazed in noborigama (youhen charcoal technique) or anagama kilns.

It doesn't matter how you get there. It's the piece that matters. I couldn't care less if some folk potter dug the clay, ground the glazes from local rocks and woodfired the mug in his groundhog kiln or if the mug came from a Chinese CAM machine to a shelf at Target. The only thing that matters is the mug. As crappy as they are, some $2.99 mugs at a chain store look better than some of the handmade mugs at street sales.

Yes, the technology has been around . . . but until recently, only for those with deep deep pockets. The technology is becoming cheaper, making it more affordable for more people. It's not just face jugs; I saw one article in news recently about a couple of folks wanting to use 3-D printers to make firearms and the attendant concerns that has raised with those who deal with regulating the manufacture, sale, etc. of firearms. The folks were using kickstarter or something like that to raise the funds to buy the 3-D printer. Technology will change and evolve must faster than the general world adapts to the impact of technology. Like I said, there is good and bad to technology . . . it depends on us.

What impressed me was that they chose to reproduce a face jug at all. To me that says that they recognize historical ceramic work as having importance and value. Sincerest form of flattery and all that.

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

There is quite a bit of fear out there concerning 3D printing. As in a recent program from CSI New York law enforcement is concerned about the possibility of 3D printed guns. These would have no serial numbers, no markings, and not have to have licenses to own. If you look at the latest in headlines-could be pretty scary.

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

I know artists creating with 3-d printing. I saw a great demo at the Bray 60th or at an NCECA by John Ballistero. Anna Holcombe is doing very interesting clay creations with 3-d printing. It isn't the technology I find sad, it is the reproduction of a genre of pottery, Face jugs, that depicted the expression of the human spirit created by slaves originally ... and the reproductions callously created without human touch. The technology is awesome and has great potential, but like everything else wisdom, sensitivity don't necessarily follow.

This technology is not really that new. It is called "3D printing", and you could buy that printer over the internet even 3 -5 years ago. It is really fascinating what it can do for everybody. Even for the potters. Do not look at it as a competitor. Molding technique exists for how long? (Do the coffee mugs for $2.99 at Walmart hurt your business? No.)Look at it as another opportunity to integrate into your work without hurting it.

It is useless to be afraid or fight with the evolution of the human society. Good example: news paper business and internet. An artist will never be replaced by a technology. So, adopt, improve, evolve!

P.S. Just bought an app on i-phone for translation of spoken speach. Paid $0.99.Does it mean the interpreters' job will be gone soon? Of course not. :-)

I know artists creating with 3-d printing. I saw a great demo at the Bray 60th or at an NCECA by John Ballistero. Anna Holcombe is doing very interesting clay creations with 3-d printing. It isn't the technology I find sad, it is the reproduction of a genre of pottery, Face jugs, that depicted the expression of the human spirit created by slaves originally ... and the reproductions callously created without human touch. The technology is awesome and has great potential, but like everything else wisdom, sensitivity don't necessarily follow.

We like to think we can see that wisdom and sensitivity in a piece. I don't know how far the technology has progressed in the past few years, but unless you can see that wisdom and sensitivity in one piece and not the other, then that difference doesn't exist.